by Barry Phegan | Dec 31, 2020 | Aging, Social comment
On Boxing Day, I spoke with my mother-in-law. She is 97. I mentioned that my ongoing New Year project is focusing on how to best spend my remaining years and how acutely aware I am how few they may be. She said, “Tell me about it!” She has increasing aches and...
by Barry Phegan | Dec 15, 2020 | Social comment
Washington is locked in a political battle that’s bad for our nation. When the opposition blocks action by the party in power — just because it does not want that party to claim any success — the big loser is we citizens. We have serious nationwide...
by Barry Phegan | Nov 16, 2020 | Living Life, Social comment
MONDAY — Each Monday morning my neighbor leaves his Sunday New York Times paper on my doorstep. The October 31st Magazine section had an article about the current president’s four-year trail of destruction; to individuals, our nation, and the world. Skimming...
by Barry Phegan | Oct 31, 2020 | Aging, Social comment
Conflicting cultural norms and expectations can spring up in unexpected places. Spilled movie-popcorn led me to rethink some lifelong assumptions and question my wisdom. Scene (Part I): Conflict in the Lobby It’s pre-COVID. I’m at the movie theater with my...
by Barry Phegan | Oct 17, 2020 | Social comment
Several of you asked to hear more about the non-adversarial traditions of native Hawaiians and American Indians described in my last blog — alternatives to the U.S. adversarial decision-making process. Let’s dive in and I’ll explain. First, a recap. For 30...
by Barry Phegan | Sep 30, 2020 | Social comment
While we are toppling monuments, let’s topple the biggest obstacle to equality — our adversarial public decision process. It enables the powerful, disenfranchises the weaker, fosters divisiveness, and destroys trust. How dare I question this sacred cow of...